Nanoparticle trapping based on plasmonic devices

Optical trapping of microscopic particles using focused laser beams has fueled new applications in biological and physical sciences. However, trapping particles at the nanometer scale remains a challenging task because of light diffraction. Jingzhi Wu's research explores the optical and thermal properties of metallic nanostructures under laser excitation. The work shows that both thermal effect and optical response of the nanostructure can be exploited for trapping nanoparticles. This makes possible the accurate, controlled placement of nanoparticles at predefined locations, which will facilitate the development of new approaches in nanoscience, and contribute to better biomedical technologies.